


Giving Everything (Everything) But Up On You

by darlingkingofhell



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/M, I'm Sorry, Multi, Other, Slow Burn, Story within a Story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:06:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26944123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingkingofhell/pseuds/darlingkingofhell
Summary: Beck was NOT going to be an omega who just rolled over for the first alpha that asked. In fact, she hated being an omega.ORanother a/b/o fic where we all learn about consent and divine femininity and how is awesome and deliciously pleasurable
Relationships: Beck/Damien, Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	Giving Everything (Everything) But Up On You

Beck was pulled again from her book by a spasm of joy pulling at her heart. She let it overwhelm her and pull her into a scrunched raisin of happiness. They were more frequent when (as now) she read unbearably sappy romance novels--so she read them often and let these moments of wild joy interrupt her as they pleased.

Oh I hope you can feel how she feels. She'd just showered, clothed in a cozy jumper. Her limbs were delightfully heavy, like after a luxurious stretch. Her reading spot today was nestled in the corner of the oversized couch pressed up against the sunlit window. She was warm, content, and open to the feelings she had long run from. 

Since learning what was expected of her, Beck hated being an omega. She hated knowing that because of something she hadn't had a choice in, those around her thought they had a right to tell her who to be. She should smile when alphas compliment her, she should be tiny and petite. All the time she was interrupted with useless alphas and betas (and even other omegas!) trying to convince her that she had no choice in it, she was a weakling who was naturally subservient.

She let these false representations of omegahood fuel her anger. She had spent her whole life trying to run away from all these images of simpering omegas hat had no choice but to obey. She wouldn't be like that. She could fight like an alpha and bulldoze her way through life... she could and she did. However, unlike the alphas, who seemed to reap satisfaction from chasing and conquering their goals, she was just exhausted. And even in trying to be a mediator like her beta friends, she wasn't happy.

Three months ago, Beck realized something had to change-and that is where our story really starts.

**************

Beck crumpled onto her bed, exhausted from another brutish day of trying to out-alpha her university mates (most of whom were actual alphas). They were just so bullheaded.

She rolled onto her back, pulling at the chokingly tight collar. It was barely touching her, and yet it felt like a noose. Groaning she shoved herself into the shower, scrubbing quickly at her skin and stepping back out into her room to pull on the closest pair of pajamas. 

As she curled in her empty bed she barely restrained the whimper that wanted to escape. She was fine. This was fine. She was just tired and she would wake up well rested and ready for another day of neverending struggle. Cool.

That night, Beck's dreams were fitful. She was plagued with hands constantly pulling at her, always taking more of her as they left, only for new ones to assume their place. When she was finally empty, they hands grew voices that started to berate her, scowl at her. Exhausted, depleted, and surrounded, she slumped down to the floor, protecting herself as best she could. She felt a heavy energy approach her and the voices shushed. The hands pulled away from her and she whimpered in relief. The energy surrounded her, but not as the hands had done. Instead it waited with her. It felt good, safe. While she couldn't see it or touch it, it felt solid when she reached out with her own energy. The more she reached out to it, the stronger it became. Soon, as she was much more tired than she realized, she slipped into a deeper sleep free of dreams. Even in this sleep she could still feel that calm energy.

She woke up more refreshed than she had in ages. She stretched and felt her muscles rejoicing in the feeling. hurrying herself out of bed she threw on some clothes for the brisk morning, taking only a little longer than usual to choose a shirt with a looser collar. The rest of her day went as most of her days did: her fighting her classmates for the right to have an opinion that differed from theirs and trying to ignore the glares she got from an especially infuriating alpha who seemed to think she talked too much for an omega. 

She felt every semblance of the peace she had woken up with get chipped away at piece by piece. By the end of the day she was no less exhausted than the last. Laying with her laptop propped on her chest, she started to hunt for some fanfiction to take her mind off the days events. 

She had dipped her toes into fanfiction when she was around 12 or 13 as a way of exploring the stories she loved more closely (and filling in the gaps her parent's sex talk had left) and it had grown into a source of comfort for her. She had some fics that were as familiar as her favorite movies. Today she was looking for something new. 

After reading the summaries for a few and skipping them, she had three open tabs that seemed promising. The first was a short drabble which she loved, the second lost her attention so she moved on to the third.

It was a story about an omega who had to fight for her survival in a desolate land and was captured by the big bad alpha of a group. Beck typically read stories where the whole "omegas are weak" dynamic gets flipped and the omega turns out to be a guns-a-blazin hero, which is what she figured this would be. Either fortunately or unfortunately, she was too invested in the fic to leave when she found out she was wrong:

//"you can't keep me captive forever. I'm going to find my way out of here and then you'll be sorry." she said, glaring into the alpha's unfortunately handsome eyes. He was chuckling at her. Ugh, alphas.

"I'm sure you will. Or, you could let the folks here patch you up a bit. We have no intention of holding you hostage and we don't have prisoners. You're welcome here and I hope you understand that there aren't any conditions to that." The alpha chuckled in his deep vibrato.

"If I'm not a prisoner, why lock the door?" she challenged

He chuckled even more and she hated how the sound vibrated pleasantly through her. "Darlin' I–we didn't want you runnin' off before we had a chance to explain ourselves. Let me–us feed you, get some new clothes on ya, and you're free to go. Though," he stepped closer "I'd certainly prefer you stay, and I can't promise I wouldn't keep tabs on you just to make sure you're fed an' safe" his eyes crinkled at the corner and he looked at her with something resembling genuine fondness.

I know this is just a trick but I don't know how yet... "fine." you said, keeping the edge in your voice, yet hating how an hint of nervousness still snuck its way in.

"Great, then lemme show you to your room. Sorry quarters are a bit cramped, but I hope you'll like it nonetheless. The others will show you around and make sure you have everything you need." He was practically purring with satisfaction as he led you by the small of your back through a series of pale stone hallways, finally reaching a heavy wooden door. 

When he opened the door, you understood what he meant by "close quarters" and "others". Inside the room it was light and airy, with many different smells converging into one overarching smell: omega. This was a den. Giving you one last smirk he left you standing there, closing the door behind him (presumably locked). the door wasn't even fully closed before what must have been at least 20 omegas flocked up to you, cooing and promising a warm bath and comfy clothes. You couldn't make out any one sentence in particular, but rather got the gist from the chatter as a whole. The sudden influx of attention made you uncomfortable and you refused to let it infiltrate your defenses. You could play along with these games and wait for an opening. Surely that door opened at some time? They must bring them food??

As you were lost in thought, the swam of omegas were busy making space for their new arrival. They ushered you into a balmy bathroom, having you first rinse off before submerging you in a perfectly warm bath, treated with lavender oil and soap. One of the older omegas rinsed and combed your hair before sitting on the edge of the tub humming as she twisted your hair in what felt like a complicated braid. Standing from the cooling bath you were immediately wrapped up in a fluffy towel and ushered back into the den room. There, a couple more omegas pulled you in to soft cotton pajamas. They all seemed so pleased to see you-maybe they were forced to be nice to all newcomers at first. Trick them into thinking they were safe until the horrors started.

One of the older omegas stepped forward, cooing at you. "hello my dear. We are all so pleased to see you. Most of us are more comfortable sleeping here in the middle of the den but if you prefer we can always prepare one of the alcoves." she gestured to holes in the wall that lined the far side. "I'm sure everything here seems very new and I'm sorry for that, but I hope you will see that it's actually a wonderful place to be. Now, I'm sure you have plenty of misgivings and worries, so let's have them and we can settle them at once. Don't worry, my love, many of the omegas were new here once and they all remember their worries from then." She smiled at you, as if welcoming you to blurt out everything you were certain was lurking around the corner, like this all wasn't some plot to corrall and abuse omegas. That's what all alphas did, what all alphas saw as their right. You just smiled tight-lipped back, hoping the charade would end soon.

"thank you," you grit out "for your hospitality." a few of the older omegas shared a look that you could quite decipher. Something you said had amused them. Probably that bit about hospitality–they knew it was all a charade. You were introduced to the ten-or-so omegas that were standing around smiling at you, though you forgot their names almost as fast. Just as the undivided attention was going from unsettling to annoying, the door opened. This time it was a tall omega with a round face and buttery black curls. two of the other omegas squealed at her entrance and met her at the door, pulling her into the den. You watched this exchange, puzzled. maybe the door only locked from the inside? Slipping out of the loose circle of omegas, you crossed to the door, pulled the handle, and found yourself peeking into the hallway. You shut the door and reopened it, puzzled. You glanced over at Nadine, the older omega who had spoken to you earlier. She had a smile on her face like you were a puppy just learning to walk. "Like I said, you probably have quite a few misconceptions that we would be happy to clear up. Would you like to take a walk?" She asked, reaching for the handle herself. Before you could put your thoughts together, Nadine had pulled you into the hall, this time leaving the door halfway open. 

You both walked leisurely through the warm stone halls, coming into an open courtyard whose center was dominated by a flourishing garden. The air was cooler here. There was a concrete bench to one side of the garden where Nadine steered you both. She took a seat while you remained standing pacing in front of her. She simply smiled to herself and picked a leaf of the herb growing nearest her, popping it in her mouth and humming at the taste. She pulled another leaf, holding it out to you "Mint?" she offered. You stared at it for half a second before reluctantly taking the leaf and sitting down. You placed the leaf on your tongue and against your better judgement found yourself enjoying the blissfully cold taste. 

Nadine simply smiled to herself again, admiring the plants around her.

"Okay, I get it, we can walk around. We're still trapped in here." You muttered bitterly. 

"Well, in a way, yes. It is safer to not leave these walls since outside here is far less friendly and has much less in the way of food and water, but you can leave nonetheless. Though I'm sure someone might be a little reluctant to leave you be" she said, adding that last part more to herself with a smirk.

"Sure. We could just walk out of here right now. No alpha in his right mind is going to let so many omegas slip through their fingers, let alone a whole pack of alphas." You said, still with a corrosive bitterness in your tone. At that Nadine stood, gesturing for you to do the same. She led you through a few more short hallways before emerging again into another courtyard, this time one connected to an exterior fence. She smiled and greeted some of the alphas who were keeping watch. A few of them also glanced at you, but looked away chuckling when you kept up a steady glare at all of them. The front gate was closed but when Nadine asked, one of the guards happily (if confusedly) unlatched it for her. You and Nadine walked past the gates without any trouble at all. This was it, you could run right now. Sure, one of the guards might try and shoot you but their chances weren't very good if you ran in an unpredictable enough pattern. Before you could fully decide to make a run for it, Nadine's voice cut through the silence. "You can run if you want. Or you could walk. Hell, you could dance your way out of here. You're perfectly allowed and no one will force you to stay. I would prove that point too but I don't much like venturing into the desert." She wasn't looking at you, instead keeping her eyes on the flat, dry wasteland in front of you. You were sure if you trusted her, but you also couldn't see why she would be lying. to test it, you trotted a bit away from the gate. No one so much as glanced at you. Begrudgingly you walked back. 

"ok fine, so maybe I'm not a prisoner, but don't think I'm sticking around to become another alpha plaything." this earned another chuckle from Nadine, though this one with more sadness to it. Without checking to make sure you were following, she turned back through the gates. You hesitated for a second, freedom was so close, maybe this was a trick only for her to be locked in forever... but you just weren't sure. Something wasn't right here; so far, all your expectations of horror and slavedom hadn't happened. So, you turned and rushed to catch up with Nadine. She had just reached the wide, arched entrance to the hallway when you met her. From there you two walked again, taking a few turns and found yourself in front of another door. Nadine knocked, waiting for a light voice inside telling her to come in. Inside the room was a large, clearly handmade bed and a few simple furnishings. The omega sitting on the bed beamed as Nadine entered and pat the bed next to her, indicating she should come sit down. Nadine seemed very at ease here, joining the omega, nuzzling at her before settling into a more comfortable position. You shuffled awkwardly near the door, not quite sure what the purpose of this room was. It smelled strongly of this omega and also of an alpha. Their scents mixed well together.

"Nadine, to what do I owe the pleasure?" the omega purred

"Well, Ally, Y/N here is new and seems to be quite intent on not succumbing to the ravishings of our alphas." Nadine said with a smirk.

"Oh does she! I would say she'd be quite lucky to escape, they are such an unruly bunch. look here one comes now OH save me, Nadine!" She cried, flinging herself behind her friend pointing at the doorway behind you. You turned, startled to see a large alpha leaning on the doorjamb, chuckling at the scene before him. 

"Don't mind them. Hi, I'm Connor." He said, holding out a hand to you, which you shook tentatively.

"Y/N" you said, shortly. 

"Ally, have you seen my measuring tape? I thought I'd left it in the shop but I guess not." He asked, chuckling as the omega, Ally, sprung from the bed and flung herself around his neck. 

"hmmm. Maybe I have and maybe I haven't..." She teased, giggling at his growl.

"Name your price, princess." He begged her

"One kiss oughta do it." she preened and he swooped in planting a deep kiss on her lips. You watched all of this feeling like you were intruding. "payment accepted, it's over on your nightstand." she winked, sauntering back to the bed looking satisfied. He chuckled to himself muttering something under his breath that you couldn't quite make out. He grabbed the tool, stole another kiss from Ally, and ducked back out the door. With him gone, the two omegas on the bed were left giggling like schoolgirls. 

You were looking between the two, still very confused. "Oh have a seat, Y/N." Nadine said, and you gently sat down on the foot of the bed. 

"Let's get one thing straight, you will not now or ever be subjected to attention from any alpha unless you want it. Period, end of story. All the omegas who live in the den are unclaimed, some happily, some looking for an alpha they just haven't found yet. You could spend all your years here entirely unmatched. My alpha, Daniel, died a while ago before this place even became what it is now. I doubt I will ever match again and no one here has a problem with that. I'm still fed, housed, and have all the company I could ask for. That said, we do have a lot of alphas here" your heart sunk...lot's of alphas, you have a duty... "now don't go looking like that. We have lots of alphas, so you might find one you're drawn to. plenty of fish an' all that. keep in mind it's a small community so be careful what you start unless you want it to get real awkward in the dining hall. But anyway, you're an adult, they're adults, handle your own business. Just to be clear, unwelcome advances are absolutely not allowed and if it happens you tell someone–anyone, and they'll put a stop to it. Any questions?" Nadine finished, giving you another soft smile.

You sat for a moment letting this new information sink in. It went against everything you had come to expect. It couldn't possibly be true, could it? You mulled it over for a little longer, finally letting your thoughts drift out. "I don't have to mate with anyone? ever?" you got a nod from both "And this isn't a trick or anything, like I won't get treated worse or get kicked out if I don't?" Their smiles were a little sadder, but again they affirmed that no you would not be treated any differently (though being mated definitely had its perks), regardless of your decisions. You didn't fully believe them, but you were starting to let yourself hope you could finally relax a little.

"It's been a long day, why don't I take you back to the den and you can get some rest?" Nadine offered, smiling kindly at you. You nodded and together you re-entered the hall. You had made a couple more turns and were just rounding a corner when you ran straight into what felt like a brick wall wrapped in cotton. Looking up you were mortified to see the alpha that had talked to you when you were first brought in. He had a grin on his unfairly handsome face and you realized how good he smelled. With your nose basically pressed into his chest your head was filled with his smell–warm dirt, sweetgum tree, and something rich and dark like coffee. "Ummm" you stammered at first, head cottoned in his scent. Shaking yourself slightly you tried to come up with something slightly more put together "Sorry, we were just...uh we were just going home. Ah, going back to the den." you stammered, realizing how closely you were pressed together and rushing to take a step back. His hands came up to steady you and he couldn't hide the grin on his face. "That's okay darlin'. Home huh? Well, glad the place is coming around to ya. Nadine" He said, nodding at your companion, who greeted him back. Before you could say anything worse, you rushed past him with a short smile. Nadine was quickly by your side and when you were both a short distance away she started giggling. You wanted to tell her to cut it out, but you found yourself giggling too. 

"Oh no, now he'll think I'm staying and an idiot" you moaned, mostly to yourself

"Please, you could say the sun was blue and that boy would agree, just to hear you say more." Nadine said with a hearty chuckle that you couldn't help but feel was directed at the both of you. You resolutely decided that he wasn't going to muddle your thought anymore...if only you could get that scent out of your head! 

When you reentered the den, most of the omegas had settled into cozy piles, talking and fawning over one another. Not knowing where you should go, you asked Nadine which of the alcoves was free. She gestured you to the nearest one and disappeared to get some bedding for you. You made your way to the alcove and saw that it was essentially a bed sunk into the wall with a small standing space to the side. Not much but better than what you had been living with before. Nadine returned with some soft white bedding and a pillow. You took it from her gratefully and made up your own little nest.

Curled in the downy sheets you tried to find escape in sleep, but just kept turning more and more fitful. Though not unpleasant, the unfamiliar smells were overwhelming. The cozy sounds of the other omegas was both aggravating and alluring. You hated how alone you felt but you would be damned if they saw you begging for attention. No, you were fine. You had been alone all this time, this is no different... Eventually after so long you couldn't keep track, you fell into a fitful sleep. 

Waking, the room was painted blue in the moonlight. All the omegas were asleep, curled together in warm puddles of limbs and cotton. Knowing you wouldn't be falling asleep any time soon, you slipped into a fluffy jacket one of the omegas must have left you while you were asleep and padded out of the room. Not having any direction in mind, you just let your feet carry you while you tried to remember the nightmare you had awoken from. You couldn't make out any clear image, only fragments: rough, dark figures stalking you, a sickening feeling of being prey, and a strangely familiar set of shoulders... you didn't know what any of it meant, you just knew you didn't want another dream like it. Coming back out of your thoughts, you found yourself standing in the doorway of another interior courtyard. The full moon bathed the plants in silver and blues and the whole garden was like a scene out of a storybook. You couldn't help but trail your touch over the shimmering leaves as you drifted through them. The garden was set with rough stepping stones that were cool under your bare feet, making you shiver pleasantly. You were grateful for the warmth of your jacket as you burrowed into it, avoiding the chill air. You   
felt yourself letting go of the reservations you had still been clinging to–at least for tonight. You were safe here. At least, you were safer here than anywhere else you had been yet.

You couldn't say exactly how you knew he was there. His smell mixed in with the earthy smell of the plants, but it was much more than that. You could almost feel the heat reaching out from his body, though when you looked, the alpha was standing at least 5 yards from you. It was the man from earlier. He seemed surprised to see you, and his body language indicated he wasn't sure whether he should leave or not. You weren't sure what you wanted either, but you found yourself walking towards him slowly. You still felt the cool stone under your toes and it caused you to shiver. He noticed and you thought you could hear a whine in his throat, and it looked like he wanted to reach out to you. The closer you got, the more his warmth wrapped around you and his scent filled your head, making you a little lightheaded. You were now only a few feet away. From this close, you could see the moonlight reflecting in his dark eyes, the deep circles under them, and the rough stubble that had grown since his last shave. He was looking at you almost like he was scared of you. 

"I was just...walking" you said, feeling almost compelled to give him some sort of answer for your presence

"Uh, yeah. That's..that's good. Me too-ah, I'm walking too." He said, his voice a low rumble vibrating in your chest. You couldn't be sure in the lighting, but it looked like he was blushing. You both stood there looking at one another for a little longer before he cleared his throat "Do you know your way back? I mean–that is, ah, I could show you...if you needed. Or wanted. I could show you how to get home? ah, to the den." You were almost positive he was blushing now. You smirked a little but gently agreed that you could probably use some direction.

He nodded and turned abruptly, entering the hall. You rushed to catch up to him, falling in step by his side. This close his warmth was like a blanket settled on your shoulders and you were once again feeling your mind floating just from his scent. You followed him, all the while drifting peacefully in your thoughts. "Damien." His low rumble pulled you slightly out of your thoughts. "Y/N." you offered, holding out your hand for him to shake. When he took it, you couldn't help but gasp as a current of electricity shot up your arm. His hand was rough and calloused but so warm. You shivered again, though not from the cold. Damien didn't seem to realize this though, as he shrugged out of his own jacket and wrapped it over your shoulders. You would've argued, but it was just too blissful being wrapped in his warmth and scent. You pulled the fabric tighter around yourself, humming in pleasure. You noticed a low rumbling coming from Damien, but decided not to comment on it. As you neared the den, your shoulders kept brushing. When you finally reached the door, you found yourself reluctant to leave. Even more reluctantly you started to shrug off his jacket before he stopped you, pulling it back around you shoulders. 

"Keep it, it'll give me a reason to see you again." He grinned, turning on his heel and disappearing around a corner.

Smiling to yourself, you re-entered the den. Though you were as quiet as could be, you still saw a bright pair of eyes open and crinkle with mirth as you snuck back to your nest. Nadine could just keep her thoughts to herself, thank you very much. You drifted off to sleep surrounded in Damien's scent.

When you woke up, soft morning light was illuminating the den. Your muscles were deliciously warm and when you stretched out you found your legs tangled in a nest of blankets and your torso covered in Damien's jacket. Humming to yourself you untangled yourself from the nest you'd made in your sleep and decided to change into some fresh clothes...though you contemplated putting Damien's jacket back on. You would have, if the loud part of your brain screaming that you were ridiculous hadn't gotten in the way.

Dressed in clothes that smelled more like general pack than Damien, you attached yourself to a group of omegas that seemed to be making their way to the dining hall. They smiled at you and more than one sniffed, clearly still smelling your alph––Damien on you. You blushed and ducked your head, staying decidedly silent for the whole walk. When you entered the dining hall, you were surprised. Rather than a clinical looking lunch room, the hall was another open-air courtyard filled with four long tables set with benches. Along one side a line of alphas, betas, and omegas were serving people food. Following the other omegas, you grabbed a plate and stood in line. As you progressed, you got helpings of porridge, a strip of bacon, and some small berries. You didn't know how this place managed to have such good food, but you weren't complaining. Glancing up, you were taken aback to see Damien grinning at you, holding out a glass of water. You took it, shivering as your fingers brushed. "Hey there, sunshine. Sleep alright?" he asked, giving you a soft smile "yes, fine, thank you." you mumbled, blushing up to your ears. He chuckled a little as you scurried away before realizing you didn't know where to sit. It didn't look like there were assigned seats, but what if you pissed off the wrong alpha by stealing their spot? before you could get yourself too worked up, a hand linked in you elbow, pulling you forward. You looked over to see one of the younger omegas smiling as he made his way to a relatively full table. Once seated within the group, brief introductions were made between bites of food. You learned the omega who had brought you was named Marcus, the beta in front of you was Harper, and the alpha to her left was Jess. You smiled at all of them before digging into your own food. While you didn't say much, they were all sure to include you in the loop of conversation, occasionally asking you questions, to which you would only give brief answers. Jess seemed interested in something over your shoulder when she reached out, taking your hand as she offered to show you around any time you wanted. A minute later, a heavy body settled itself on the small stretch of bench open on your left. 

Damien's smell enveloped you and you felt tension leave your shoulders–you didn't even realize you were tense. Damien leaned even more into your space as he shifted his berries from his plate to yours, wordlessly. You were surprised he had noticed those were what you had gravitated towards, but you weren't about to object. Reaching for a berry, you hummed in pleasure at its sweet taste and you could almost swear you heard Damien purr in approval. Jess snorted and you glanced up to see her and Damien exchanging looks. As you ate, you found yourself relaxing more into Damien, letting the his warmth lull you into relaxing completely. You even found yourself joking around with Harper and laughing at one of Marcus's jokes. You also noticed that when you chuckled at something Jess said, Damien tensed and let out a short, seemingly involuntary, growl. Glancing at him seemed to confirm that he hadn't meant to let it slip out, since his head was ducked and his ears were pink. You turned your attention back to Marcus but leaned just a bit more into Damien, feeling him relax again. As breakfast came to an end, you felt lighter–less anxious with your surroundings. Things were still new, but you'd seen firsthand how all the people here interacted freely and equally. The alphas weren't the usual hotheads you'd come to expect and the omegas seemed to be treated like equals. You followed Damien, letting him show you where to rinse off your dishes before setting them in a tub. You were still following Damien, pulled along by an invisible force. You wandered around aimlessly for a short while, chatting about this and that, letting the time pass by. Too soon for your liking, an alpha barked at Damien from down the hall that it was his shift soon. Damien hollered something about where he could stick his shift and the other alpha let out a sharp laugh in turn. It was clear they were two old friends rehashing the same joke yet again. 

Grinning down at you, Damien changed course, leading you back to the den. "Are you sure I'm not a prisoner?" you teased "I seem to spend an awful lot of time in here"

"Well once you learn more places to go, you can go there too. It sounded like Jess was more than willing to take you." He added that last part somewhat hesitantly, glancing at you to check your reaction. It seems he liked what he saw because his hesitancy shifted into something a bit more playful. Moving slowly so you had plenty of time to pull away if you wanted, he leaned down nuzzling your hair. It wasn't full-on scenting, but it was a definite show of his interest. You blushed, trying to hold in a purr of your own. "I'll see you later then, darlin'" He drawled as he sauntered away. 

"Bye alpha" You called after him teasingly. It was worth it to see the way his steps stuttered.

*End of chapter*///

Beck groaned in frustration. The fic wasn't due to be updated for another two days. She also found herself being pulled into the romance in spite of her usual reservations. She hated being an omega. She loved stories written by kick-ass omegas that took no shit from alphas...so why was she falling for this story?? It seemed like the omega in this story was happy to just roll over and let this alpha take care of her. She wasn't even putting up that much of a fight about it. I mean granted these alphas weren't like the usual ones she was used to and they seemed to actually respect omegas, but they were still alphas–right?? Beck slipped into sleep, eyes burning from reading too long off her phone. 

Her dreams were blurry and indistinct, never seeming to settle on one plot. Beck woke up not entirely refreshed but feeling hopeful for the day ahead. 

She drifted through her day classes, not really focusing on much while her mind was occupied with the story. in the break between her day classes and her night class, she grabbed some food from the almost-invisible coffee shop just off campus and claimed a spot on one of the overstuffed couches by the window. The shop was small and filled with patrons studying, reading, and chatting in small, sweater-clad groups. Though the walls were cracked, bare white, the floor plain glossy brown concrete, and nothing particularly interesting about the shop, it was a safe haven for her. Pulling out her notebook and a textbook, she began the tedious work of tidying her notes and studying for an upcoming exam. She was surprised to find that her teacup was empty, when she brought it to her lips. leaving her backpack and a note on her stuff asking that please no one steal her schoolwork, she went to the counter to get more tea. The alpha working the counter was busy with a customer, giving her a chance to ogle him a little. She was a usual at this coffee shop since her first winter term at Uni and she'd become accustomed to the usual baristas, this alpha had only started about a month ago and she still wasn't sure what to think about him. 

He was tall and broad, built like a house, and exuded alpha in a way Beck first thought was just unnecessarily over the top, but as she had paid more attention to him, he didn't seem to be trying to be an alpha-y alpha. In fact, he was always incredibly gentle and kind, especially with her. He would always lean down on the counter and give her a soft smile while waiting for her order...just like he was now. 

"Hi," he said, his voice a low rumble "looking for a refill?" he asks with a soft smile. Geez, he's annoying. Look at that smug smile. And his smell too, could he be any more of an alpha showoff? It wrapped around her like a blanket, smelling of campfire, warm leather, and something unnamable but strong. 

"Uh, yes, please. Vanilla Chai?" she hated how her voice sounded like a question rather than a statement. This guy muddled her thoughts and she wasn't sure if she liked the fuzzy feeling she always got around him. He just nodded, taking her empty mug and making her a new tea. He waved away her money with a large calloused hand "it's on me," he said with a wink, lingering his fingers on the mug just long enough that she had to brush his fingers while collecting her drink. She smiled and thanked him with a little more warmth than she'd planned. As she made her way back to her seat, she thought she could feel his eyes on her back, though when she glanced back he returned to wiping down the counter.

She spent the rest of the afternoon studying. She let herself tune out the rest of the world as she tried to take in as much information as possible. When she reached for her mug a couple of hours later she was surprised to find it full and steaming hot. Glancing above her heavy textbook, she just caught him smirking, returning to his work. How did he manage that? Sure, she was invested in her studying, but she thought she would have noticed him being so nearby. She always noticed when alphas were near her–usually as a defense from creepy alphas who were always way too close to her.

Huffing in annoyance, she was tempted to let her tea go cold...but that would be a waste of tea.

A half hour before her night class, she started to pack up her books and notes. The sky outside was a dark blue, turning black. When she turned from the window, she jumped slightly. The barista was standing there holding out a to-go cup with two thermal guards around it. "saw you were leaving...it's cold out." he said gruffly. Beck thought she could see a blush creeping up his cheeks beneath his short beard. "thanks, I'll need the caffeine–night class." she said, smiling softly at him. He seemed dissatisfied with something she said, frowning slightly. Her omega instincts were screaming at her that she's upset her alpha–'even though he isn't my alpha!' Beck tried fighting against the voice. "isn't that a bit dangerous? Y'know, getting out of class late at night." he says, a slight growl slipping into his voice. Beck felt her inner-omega clawing to the surface, begging to comfort him. Geez, why is she being so omega-y today?? 

"It gets a little creepy walking home, but I have pepper spray." she said, trying to sound nonchalant–downplaying how much the walk home creeped her out. The walk back to her apartment was less than a mile, but the campus got so dark and empty. He whined a little, sensing her distress–or more likely smelling it. She would've found the same behavior annoying in any other alpha, but with him it was actually quite sweet. Giving him one last smile she slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way out into the chill evening air, feeling even more grateful for the warm tea in her hands. She was about to cross the street to campus when the door to the cafe rung again behind her. Turning she saw him, his broad frame filling up the doorway. "Uh, I could.. I want to walk you home–if that's okay. I know you don't know me that well but you could send a photo of my license to a friend or something, y'know so you know I won't murder you.. sorry if that's a weird suggestion. I just want you to be safe." Beck stared at him for a moment, debating how much she didn't want to die, versus how nice it could be to at least know who was killing her, rather than the faceless dread of a stranger. Nodding she continued walking to class, throwing "Chestnut hall, 10:30" over her shoulder. She didn't turn around, but she was sure she heard a throaty chuckle escape him.

Class was long, and more of the usual tedium. Alpha jerks talking over her, with the (alpha) teacher practically encouraging them. By the time the three-hour class was done, she was irritated, exhausted, and itching to punch one especially smug alphas in his stupid face. What aggravated her the most was that we wasn't even right most of the time, he was just blindly spitting out his opinion like it was a fact. She'd entirely forgotten she'd agreed to let the barista walk her home, when she ran directly into his annoyingly broad chest. She'd been in such a hurry to get out into the cool night air that she wasn't even watching where she was going, and now she way looking up, up, up into his stupid smile. She knew her face was already flaming from anger, but she was sure it was getting redder looking up into his smirk. 

"You looked about ready to walk right through me." He chuckled. Looking over her shoulder, he seemed to see something that made his hackles rise. Before Beck could ask, he growled low in his throat, pulling her to his side. She was about to protest but then she saw the particularly stupid alpha from earlier glaring back at him. She wasn't sure exactly what was happening, but she was happy to let the two of them do whatever alphas did. "Hey, big guy, you promised me your license?" she elbowed him in the ribs. Not taking his eyes off the other alpha, he got his wallet from his pocket and handed it to her. "Great, I'll be over there when you're done with your growl-off" she said, gesturing at the low wall by the door. Pulling his license from his wallet she read the name "Damien Mannings" and chuckled a little at the synchronicity of his name and the one from the story. She snapped a photo of it and sent it to her roommate with the caption "if I'm found in multiple pieces call this guy, love u" sending it off with a chuckle at her poor roommate. All she got in response was "well at least he's cute." Smiling, she looked back up to see how Damien and the idiot from class were getting on, but all she saw when she looked up was Damien standing a few paces away. "what happened to the knothead?" she asked, smirking. 

"He went somewhere he were more welcome" Damien said with a smug smile. "Have you decided if I'm gonna murder you or not? Cause it's cold and I'd like to get you home before you catch pneumonia" he joked, offering his arm. 

"Well, I guess I'm dying one way or another, so let's go." She said, smirking up at him and taking his arm.


End file.
